Please withhold judgement until the end of this entire thought. I had never read a Stephen King novel before reading his memoir, On Writing. I didn’t even read it recreationally, I read it as part of my required reading… at Tufts University School of Medicine.

Now, what does Stephen King and writing articles on obesity have in common? You have to craft a compelling story to bring a reader on a journey, and there are layers to a narrative that go beyond plot. Elements such as vocabulary, style, and sentence structure; elements that must be understood to serve as a foundation to the plot.

In health care, our job as communicators is to help bring patients to a place of understanding, and hopefully, action. This book gives practical advice for crafting content of all kinds. Chapters go in-depth on grammar and sentence structure, from encouraging an active voice over a passive voice to cutting unnecessary adverbs (she lectured enthusiastically).

On Writing provides a tool box of foundational skills, advice for taking your writing to a professional level, and a refreshingly honest perspective of what it means to be a writer. If you’re feeling burned out from the querying cycle, you’ll appreciate King’s experience (and resilience!) with rejection.

Thank you, Stephen King! You can buy his book here.